Question

Aiden and Sophia are married and they have always filed Married Filing Jointly. Aiden died May 5, 2020 at the age of 58. Sophia, age 56, has not remarried. Aiden earned $5,000 in wages and Sophia earned $51,000 in wages. Sophia paid all the cost of keeping up a home and provided all the support for their two children, Mia and Oliver, who lived with them all year. Mia is 11 years old and Oliver is 15 years old. Sophia does not have enough deductions to itemize, but she did make a $500 cash charitable contribution to a qualified charitable organization in tax year 2020. Aiden, Sophia, Mia, and Oliver are all U.S. citizens with valid Social Security numbers. 5. What is most advantageous filing status allowable that Sophia can claim on the tax return for tax year 2020

Answer 1

Married filing jointly

Step-by-step explanation:

Since Sophia is a widow and did not remarry during 2020, she can still file as married filing jointly. She can do that for up to two years after her spouse (Aiden) died, as long as she doesn't remarry.

The standard deduction for married filing jointly is $24,800 for 2020, which is much higher than single filers or heads of household.